TACOMAFIFTH SATURDAY CONTRADANCEJuly 31, 2010 |
Please join us, at Wells Hall. Singles, couples, first-timers, and experienced dancers; All are Welcome. No partner needed; Alcohol and smoke-free; Workshop for newcomers (see below.) We have a great time, dancers, caller, and musicians too! All sponsored by the Seattle Folklore Society. Sherry Nevins will join us to call for Fifth Saturdays. A veteran of over thirty years of calling contras, Sherry is also well known as the coordinator for Seattle's Lake City Contra/Old Time Country Dance, a series whose roots go back to the G-note Tavern Monday and Tuesday dance in the 1970's/80's and then the Ballard Eagles Thursday dance, prior to the present Seattle location in Lake City. She is a caller of great good spirit and infectious enthusiasm.The band, Small Pleasures, will be Vivian Williams on fiddle, Phil Katz on melodeons, Phil Williams on guitar, with guests Paul Englesberg on flute, and Lynnel Rowan on bodhran and other small percussion. The core band goes back back to the start of the contra dance tradition in Puget Sound; Vivian and Phil Williams to the very first contradances here at the Inside Passage in Pioneer Square in the 1970's, and Phil Katz to the initial Saturday contradance series in Puget Sound (the Salmonberry 2nd Saturday dance begun in the University Friends' Meeting House in 1980.) Paul's contra flute playing began in New England in the late 1970's and 1980's; he played behind many of the "classic" callers of the era before his academic career took him overseas. Now in Bellingham, he plays for Scottish and contra dancing with "Up in the Aire", and has joined us several times in Tacoma. Like many of the other great players, he plays superbly from music, from repertoire in his memory, and improv. We met Lynnel probably 20 years ago on one of our annual visits to the Yakima contradance; she's always added great texture the guitar rhythmic line laid down by Phil Williams.We play "close to the dance and the dancers", choosing our tunes to match the dance chosen by the caller, and our styling to support the dancers as each dance evolves. It is a pleasure to play for our friends out on the dance floor.Our contra tune repertoire is Northwest and Yankee music. We bring together the Yankee and Celtic contra repertoire of the Northeast, along with tunes from the pioneer Northwest. Many of the latter were brought to light due to the musical, cultural, and historical scholarship of Vivian Williams, a degreed cultural anthropologist, as well as a champion contest fiddler. They fit flawlessly with the Northeast tunes - not surprising since they all trace back to the popular dance tunes of the mid-nineteenth century. We think you'll enjoy dancing to this musical history; they were fun tunes to dance to back in the day, and they still are.
Specifics on the Event:
The Fifth Saturday Contradance will be held at Christ Church Wells Hall, 310 North K Street, Tacoma - directions below. It is well-known as one of the sweetest halls in Puget Sound. (Note: It's the same location as the monthly Tacoma Contra Dance that's held on Third Saturdays.) The July 31 dance will run from 8:00 - 11:00 pm. The cost is $8.00. As always, a 10% discount will be available to Seattle Folklore Society members who request it. There will be a newcomers' workshop at 7:30 pm. Contra dancing is "not rocket science", and by the third dance, anyone looking out over the crowd will likely be unable to tell who just learned that evening! We're proud of the tradition of asking newcomers and visitors to dance, and looking after them on the dance floor. (Experienced dancers are invited to bring friends they've been wanting to introduce to contra dancing, and to help out by dancing in the workshop.)Please avoid wearing scented products (e.g. perfume, aftershave, cologne, scented hand lotion) to the Fifth Saturday Contra Dance. (Dancing, being aerobic, magnifies their scent, and also the effect of the solvents used therein!) Some dancers are hypersensitive or allergic to such products. A word about children's attendance: It is fine for older children and teenagers who are comfortable interacting with adults on their own. However, it is not appropriate for small children unless they are on the sidelines supervised by adults at all times. A caution on parking: The street right across from the hall has been posted as a "residents only" zone, so please don't park there - tickets have been given. There is plenty of parking on adjacent streets, and there are spots behind the church as well.Directions to Wells Hall
310 North "K" Street, Tacoma
From Seattle, "Eastside" of Lake Washington, or Des Moines
I-5 south to exit 133 (Tacoma City Center). Then take I-705 and Schuster Parkway exit on the right (still called I-705). From there again stay right and take the Stadium Way (first) exit from Schuster Pkwy. At the top of the exit ramp, turn right. The street goes up hill, then swings left onto North 1st. You pass Stadium Thriftway and a Chevrolet lot, and then merge into Division at a traffic light. Continue on Division, turn right onto North "K". Wells Hall is the second building on the left. Enter the dance through the church courtyard.From Olympia
Because of uncertainties regarding exiting from Route 16 into Tacoma, we recommend that you add an extra 5-10 min and come all the way north on I5 to the I-705 exit (Tacoma City Center). Then follow the directions onto Schuster Parkway, etc. as given above. (We may discover a better route from south of Tacoma, and if so we'll post it. Similarly if you have an efficient way to get to the hall, involving Route 16, please let us know.)For more information please contact:
Phil Katz - philkatz@ZZZhalcyon.com - 206 722 8228.
(You know what to do with the Z's)